To begin with, what are the main differences between GPS and Galileo?

1. Origin and Ownership
   GPS: Managed by the United States, originally developed by the U.S. military.
   Galileo: A European system, developed by the European Union and managed by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). 
2. Number of Satellites
   GPS: Consists of 31 operational satellites.
   Galileo: Has 30 satellites planned, of which 28 are operational (2024). 
3. Accuracy
   GPS: Standard accuracy for civilian users is 3-5 meters.
   Galileo: Offers a standard accuracy of 1 meter and, with the High Accuracy Service (HAS), even up to 20 cm. 
4. Signal Security
   GPS: Features a military-encrypted signal (M-code) that is secured.
   Galileo: Offers OSNMA (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication), an authentication system to prevent spoofing and jamming. 
5. Reliability and Redundancy
   GPS: Widely used worldwide but dependent on the U.S.
   Galileo: Independent of the U.S. and provides redundancy if GPS fails or is disrupted. 
6. Compatibility
   GPS and Galileo work together in many modern devices, resulting in improved precision and reliability by combining signals. 

EUSPA supports drone operators and identifies their operational needs. Based on industry feedback, a hands-on training has been developed to maximize the benefits of EGNOS and Galileo. The training is practical and demonstrates through operational scenarios how to activate EGNOS on your drone and the advantages of Galileo’s High Accuracy Service and OSNMA authentication. This contributes to improved precision, reliability, and safety in drone operations.

The training is offered during major industry events such as Amsterdam Drone Week and Airspace Integration Week in Madrid. The next session will take place on April 2, 2025, at the Galileo Reference Center in Noordwijk. Experts will provide training, and participants can bring their EGNOS-capable drones for guidance on activation.

For those unable to attend in person, a condensed version of the training is available online via the websites of EUSPA, ESSP, and GSC, as well as on EUSPA’s YouTube channel.

Would you like to participate in the training or organize a session within your drone community? Visit the event page here or contact us at market@euspa.europa.eu.